President Obama made history by opening relations with Cuba, lifting U.S. sanctions on the country and making it easier for Americans to visit. However, President Trump might undo a big chunk of Obama's diplomatic legacy, as he's considering bringing back limits on Cuban travel.
Trump plans to announce changes to Obama's deal as early as June, according to The New York Times, carrying out his promise to be tough on Cuba until its government addresses human rights violations. In September, he called Obama's agreement one-sided, claiming it only benefited the Castro government.
President Trump doesn't plan on reversing all of the Obama administration's directives, but he might bring back limits on travel by closing the loophole that currently lets Americans visit the island for educational tours, professional research, and humanitarian work. If these travel licenses are taken away, Americans will once again be prohibited from traveling to Cuba entirely.
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Not only would it be a bummer for anyone still planning a getaway, reinstating the ban would blow back on the airlines that began routes to Cuba last year, including American Airlines and JetBlue.
If the president does bring back the travel limits, the directive will likely go into effect immediately, meaning any trips to the island planned for later in the summer could be cancelled. But, nothing is a done deal yet.
Trump hasn't official commented on his plans. On Cuban Independence Day, May 20, he said in a White House statement, "The Cuban people deserve a government that peacefully upholds democratic values, economic liberties, religious freedoms, and human rights, and my Administration is committed to achieving that vision," leaving his policy plans unclear.
Along with increased communication and travel between the U.S. and Cuba, lifting the previous sanctions increased trade between the nations, as well as opened the door to sharing research and intel. Because Obama made the changes through executive orders, Trump could easily reverse them and reinstate the limits on the island.
Only Congress could fully eliminate the Cuban embargo, but many Republicans, including Cuban-American lawmakers such as Sen. Marco Rubio, don't want the U.S. to ease up until Cuba's human rights issues are addressed.